Frequently Asked Questions¶

• Table of contents
• Frequently Asked Questions
  • Installing and Running Redmine
    • Does Redmine works with Rails 2.x.x?
    • When I start the application, I get this error "in 'gem_original_require': no such file to load -- initializer (LoadError)"
    • When I start the application, I get this error message: "cannot connect to mysql: No such file or directory - /tmp/mysql.sock"
    • The application freeze after a long time of inactivity.
    • Why does Redmine use http links when I want it to use https links in Apache? (SSL)
  • Issue tracking
    • I've created a new issue status but I can't use it, it doesn't show up in the status drop-down list.
    • I've created a new tracker but I can't use it, it doesn't show up in the trackers drop-down list.
    • How does "Related issues" work?
  • Time tracking
    • The time calculations in "Spent time Reports" are wrong.
  • Repositories
    • Commits don't show up in the activity until I click on 'Repository'
    • I can't browse my svn repository through redmine
    • Repository statistics doesn't show up
  • Wikis
    • How do I create sub-pages (parent/child relationships) in the wiki
  • Performance
    • When I create a new issue, Redmine freezes for one minute.
  • Miscellaneous
    • Emails use the incorrect url
    • All times are off by 1 hour after the daylight savings switched
    • What is the difference between Documents and Files?
    • I get a 404-error when I try to view or diff a PHP-file
    • Email notifications are not working

Installing and Running Redmine¶

Does Redmine works with Rails 2.x.x?¶

See compatibility in the Installation guide.

When I start the application, I get this error "in 'gem_original_require': no such file to load -- initializer (LoadError)"¶

Make sure Ruby on Rails is properly installed on your machine.

When I start the application, I get this error message: "cannot connect to mysql: No such file or directory - /tmp/mysql.sock"¶

You have to specify the socket location in config/database.yml.
See http://dev.rubyonrails.org/ticket/200.

The application freeze after a long time of inactivity.¶

There's a bug in ruby/mysql adapter < 2.7.3 that leads to lose the database connection. Please update your adapter.
You can see thread at: http://rubyforge.org/forum/message.php?msg_id=25951.

Why does Redmine use http links when I want it to use https links in Apache? (SSL)¶

This happens when Apache sending requests to a backend server, like mongrel or thin. Apache isn't telling the backend server to use https so the links are generated incorrectly. Add the following configuration to Apache:

RequestHeader set X_FORWARDED_PROTO 'https'

Issue tracking¶

I've created a new issue status but I can't use it, it doesn't show up in the status drop-down list.¶

Once you've created a new issue status, you need to include it in the workflow.

Say you have created a status named 'In progress' and you want the developers to be able to change bugs from 'New' to 'In progress'.
Go to "Administration -> Issue tracking -> Workflow", select 'Bug' and 'Developer' then click edit.
You now see all the transitions allowed for developers on bugs. Check the 'New' -> 'In progress' checkbox and save.

See Workflow setup.

I've created a new tracker but I can't use it, it doesn't show up in the trackers drop-down list.¶

Once you've created a new tracker, you need to "activate" it for a specific project.

Say you have created a tracker named 'Task' and you want the new tracker to be used for your project;

• go to "(Project-)Settings -> tab 'Information' -> fieldset 'Trackers'",
• check the checkbox of the new tracker 'Task',
• and then click save.

You can now start using the new tracker 'Task' in the project for which you've just activated the new tracker.

How does "Related issues" work?¶

Using Issue #100 as the one you set the relationship and Issue #101 as the "related to"

• Related - Just adds a link to the other issue
• Duplicates - Links issues so that closing one, will close the other (e.g. closing #100 will close #101)
• Blocks - Indicates that an issue need to be completed before working on the next.
• Precedes - Defines an "order", where issue #100 needs to be completed x days before #101 can be started on.

Time tracking¶

The time calculations in "Spent time Reports" are wrong.¶

You can enter spent-time values in Redmine using decimal time format. See Time_tracking.

• Example: you have 4 tasks with the following spent time values: 1.00, 0.10, 0.15, & 0.40. Now in the Spent-Time reports (Project overview -> Spent time -> [Details | Report]) you see a total of 1.65 hours instead of 2.05 hours...???

• Explanation: this "behaviour" is normal and intended since you enter those four spent-time values using decimal time format. This means that:
  • 1.00 decimal equals 60 minutes (1 hour)
  • 0.10 decimal equals 6 minutes
  • 0.15 decimal equals 9 minutes
  • 0.40 decimal equals 24 minutes
  • 1.65 decimal equals 99 minutes
  • 2.05 hours (125 minutes) equals 2.0833333333333335 (est.) in decimal notation

Offcourse there can possibly be a very tiny difference (as you can see) due to the rounding to two decimals done by Redmine.

Some references:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_time
• http://www.springfrog.com/converter/decimal-time.htm

Repositories¶

Commits don't show up in the activity until I click on 'Repository'¶

By default, Redmine fetches the new commits from the repository only when you browse it.

If you want the commits to be retrieved periodically by Redmine in the background for all your repositories, uncheck 'Autofetch commits' setting and add a cron that runs (with appropriate environment):

rake -f /path/to/redmine/Rakefile redmine:fetch_changesets

For SVN repositories you can also add the following command to a post-commit hook:

ruby /path_to_redmine/redmine/script/runner "Repository.fetch_changesets" -e production

*Note, the second method of post-commit hook will slow down commits and could possibly cause commits to fail if Redmine is not functioning.

I can't browse my svn repository through redmine¶

Check the following:

• Make sure you're using a svn client and server >= 1.3. Redmine parse the -xml output from subversion, which is a svn 1.3 feature.
• Make sure that the web app is able to run the svn binary. (hint: check your path and ensure the svn binary is on it)
• When using a file:/// link, make sure the system user under which Redmine runs has access to the location specified by file:/// on your local file system. (Hint: By default, when using passenger, Redmine runs as the user which owns your config/environment.rb.)

If you're accessing the repository over HTTPS:

The initial import of a subversion repository over https requires that the ssl certificate fingerprint be manually validated and stored in a config-dir accessible by the user running the web server. It is recommended that a directory local to the redmine application root be provided, either as a default (./svn/.subversion) or as a provided parameter in the repository settings for subversion.

The work around for the certificate acceptance issue is to manually checkout anything from the svn server specifying the local config-dir and accepting the certificate permanently.
Example:

$ svn --config-dir ./svn/.subversion co https://svn.mydomain.com/project/trunk delete-me

Error validating server certificate for 'https://svn.mydomain.com:443':
- The certificate is not issued by a trusted authority. Use the
fingerprint to validate the certificate manually!
- The certificate hostname does not match.
- The certificate has expired.
Certificate information:
- Hostname: svn.mydomain.com
- Valid: from Apr 8 12:00:00 2006 GMT until Sep 24 12:00:00 2010 GMT
- Issuer: mydomain.com, vrsource.org, Geneva, UN
- Fingerprint: 01:27:d9:6a:b8:db:63:f3:24:e3:41:c8:15:0a:f8:93:f6:7c:0f:11
(R)eject, accept (t)emporarily or accept (p)ermanently? p

or modify subversion_adapter.rb in <redmine root>/lib/redmine/scm/adapters/subversion_adapter.rb
in credentials_string definition section chagne svn globaly options
from

--no-auth-cache --non-interactive

to

--trust-server-cert --no-auth-cache --non-interactive

For additional information on the problem, check your log file for problems encountered during the svn operation. (e.g. /log/production.log )

Repository statistics doesn't show up¶

• If you are using ruby 1.8.6:
  There's a bug in rexml 3.1.7 provided with ruby 1.8.6. You can fix it yourself:
  In ruby/1.8/rexml/document.rb (line 186), change: if transitive to if trans then restart the app.
  See http://www.germane-software.com/projects/rexml/ticket/115 for details.
• If you are using Internet Explorer:
  You'll need an SVG plugin like the one Adobe provides to be able to display SVG-images properly within Internet Explorer.

Wikis¶

How do I create sub-pages (parent/child relationships) in the wiki¶

Looking at http://www.redmine.org/wiki/redmine/Page_index/special it is possible to make use of some sort of sub-paging like:

• Guide
  • RedmineAccounts
  • RedmineCustomFields
  • RedmineInstall
  • RedmineIssueList
  • RedmineIssues

This can be accomplished by assigning a parent page to a to-be child-page. This assignment can be done via the rename dialog.
Thus, create both the child- and parent-pages and then open the to-be child-page and click "rename", then enter the name of the parent page.

Performance¶

When I create a new issue, Redmine freezes for one minute.¶

Make sure your SMTP server is properly configured or deactivate email notifications (remove config/email.yml) and restart Redmine.

Miscellaneous¶

Emails use the incorrect url¶

The urls used in email is configured with the Host Name setting in Administration > Settings > General tab. It defaults to localhost:3000 (Ruby on Rails default).

All times are off by 1 hour after the daylight savings switched¶

Rails < 2.1 built-in time zone implementation doesn't handle DST. You have to install TZInfo.
To do so, run the following from your Redmine directory:

ruby script/plugin install tzinfo_timezone

Do not install this plugin if you're using Redmine 0.8.

What is the difference between Documents and Files?¶

The "Documents" section is for publishing specifications, notices, or other documents that do not belong in a SCM.
The "Files" section is for publishing versions of the tracked project, as a bundle (release).

I get a 404-error when I try to view or diff a PHP-file¶

It's because Apache is seeing the extension .php and tries to run the PHP-interpreter on the file. Since the requested URL isn't a real file, it returns a 404 error.
The solution is to turn off mod_php for your Redmine virtual host. That will cause Apache to call Redmine to serve up the file.
To do so, add the following lines to your virtual host configuration:

RemoveHandler .php
php_flag engine off    # Try without this line first

Email notifications are not working¶

First, try to send a test email: go to "Administration -> Settings -> Email notifications" and click "Send a test email".
It will send an email to the email address of your Redmine account:

• If you get an error, check your configuration in config/email.yml.
• If you don't receive any email, check your SMTP server log to see if the email was properly relayed.

For other problems (eg. some people receive notifications but others don't), you can enable email debug output in your Redmine log file by commenting out this line in config/environments/production.rb:

config.action_mailer.logger = nil

After restarting the application, every email sent will be dumped to your log file (log/production.log).
This way you can check the To: field of emails to see if all the expected email addresses are present.